Silenced and betrayed: Students with autism abused in Central Bucks school, report says

An independent investigation has found that nonverbal students with autism at Jamison Elementary School in the Central Bucks School District were subjected to severe abuse, neglect, and discrimination by staff, while district administrators failed to respond appropriately—and even misled authorities. 

The report, issued to the public Wednesday by Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP), has sparked public outrage and prompted a promise from the district to review the findings seriously.

The three-month probe, conducted by DRP, confirmed a whistleblower's allegations submitted last November. 

Investigators uncovered a troubling pattern of mistreatment within a special education classroom, including the use of illegal restraints, denial of water, verbal harassment, and an incident involving a student being encouraged to self-stimulate while undressed on a bathroom floor. These actions violated both state and federal laws protecting students with disabilities.

Beyond the classroom, the investigation found systemic failures in how Central Bucks administrators responded. Staff were slow to report suspected abuse, and when they did, administrators passed on incomplete and misleading information to both police and child protection services. At one point, the district told parents and police that its internal probe had found no abuse, despite already having evidence to the contrary.

While state agencies had previously flagged issues with restraints used in the classroom, it was the DRP investigation that clearly defined those practices — and others — as abusive. 

The findings were based on interviews with 20 individuals and a review of extensive documentation, including personnel records and internal communications. The report concluded that all students in the classroom were victims, either directly or indirectly, due to the daily exposure to abusive and demeaning treatment.

The accused teacher and aide have not faced formal discipline by the district. Instead, they reportedly went on medical leave during the winter. The teacher has denied any wrongdoing through a representative and declined to speak with DRP investigators. The nonprofit has called for both employees to be disciplined by the district and any relevant licensing or oversight bodies.

Responsibility for the district's response falls heavily on Superintendent Dr. Steve Yanni. DRP determined he played a central role in withholding crucial information from law enforcement, including the full whistleblower report. This contributed to Warwick police closing their investigation prematurely, believing they had reviewed all necessary evidence. The internal “fact-finding” team that shaped this conclusion notably lacked any special education expertise.

Yanni also failed to report the full scope of the allegations to Pennsylvania’s child abuse hotline, ChildLine, as required by law, per the report. His reports focused on one student rather than the group, and were made only after pressure from staff and board members. In one case, a report was submitted in real-time as board members watched on Zoom, highlighting the level of concern about transparency.

A culture of intimidation within the district compounded the issue. The report described a widespread fear of retaliation among staff, particularly those who tried to raise concerns about the abuse. 

Some believed the Jamison principal, Dave Heineman, had an inappropriate relationship with the accused teacher and protected her from scrutiny, according to the report. Heineman, who reportedly asked to fire the whistleblower shortly after concerns were raised, was placed on leave only recently.

District administrators also stand accused of sidelining key staff during the internal investigation. The head of pupil services and special education, Alyssa Wright, said she was excluded from the process and later accused the district of concealing abuse, according to the report. Wright feared retaliation and told investigators she believed she was being targeted for termination.

The DRP report highlights how discriminatory attitudes toward students with autism influenced the district’s response. It quotes Yanni as saying that staff would have been removed had the incidents occurred in a general education classroom — underscoring the inequity in how special education students were treated.

School board member Jim Pepper, a parent of one of the students in the classroom, was misled about the findings of the district’s investigation. He only became aware of the full whistleblower complaint when he shared it himself with Warwick Police. The report confirms that district officials repeatedly misrepresented the nature and scope of the abuse to Pepper and law enforcement.

Warwick Police, for their part, have refused to release their investigative files to DRP, despite the nonprofit’s federal authority to access such records. DRP is considering further steps to obtain the files and complete their review of how local law enforcement handled the case.

Although Central Bucks School District has yet to take significant personnel action beyond placing Heineman on leave, Assistant Superintendent Nadine Garvin is retiring early. The board has also commissioned a third-party investigation, whose results are still pending.

In a formal statement issued the morning after DRP’s report was released, Central Bucks School Board President Susan Gibson, Vice President Heather Reynolds, and Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools Dr. Charles Malone said they are reviewing the findings with “utmost seriousness.”  

"We write to confirm that the board, district, and district legal counsel received an investigative report from Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP) around 2 p.m. today related to the allegations of child abuse in a Jamison classroom. Simultaneously, DRP also released this report to the public. The report contains concerning information that the board and district will review with utmost seriousness. It is important that we take the appropriate time to carefully evaluate the information presented before commenting or acting on any details," the three said in the statement.

"We are also awaiting the results of the independent investigation into this matter. We will consider the DRP and independent reports carefully and are committed to taking any necessary action. The safety of our students remains our highest priority, and we will respond to both reports appropriately and transparently," they said.